After getting caught in a snowstorm in Howling Fjord, I was grateful to stumble across the local Taunka camp. These wonderful people served me some of the best soup I had ever tasted – they called it Winterhoof Squash Soup. It’s delicious, easy to make, and very good for you! Here’s the recipe they shared with me.

Ingredients:

1 small butternut squash, halved, seeded

2 tablespoons fresh thyme (dried thyme also works, just in case)

2 teaspoons yellow curry powder

2 shallots, minced

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

5 cups chicken stock, warmed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Italian flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Crème fraîche, for garnish

1. Brush each squash half with 1/2 tablespoon EVOO, 1 tablespoon thyme, and some salt. Roast flesh side up at 350 degrees F until tender and colored, for about 50 minutes. Cool just enough to remove flesh from skin.

2. In a saucepan over very low heat, sauté shallots in EVOO until shallots are translucent. Add 2 teaspoons of curry to bloom.

3. Add squash and 4 1/2 cups stock. Bring to boil.

4. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Add remaining stock to thin if desired. OR – you wait until the soup cools, then transfer the soup to a normal countertop blender. Make sure to blend very thouroughly!

5. Add remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set to rest over very low heat. PROTIP: I found that adding about 3-4 tablespoons of cream during the ‘resting phase’ adds a wonderful bit of creaminess to the soup. Garnish with Italian flat-leaf parsley and a dollop of crème fraîche.